Emerging Strategies for the Preservation of Pancreatic Beta-cell Function in early Type 2 Diabetes

A fundamental problem in the clinical management of type 2 diabetes is the inability to prevent the ongoing deterioration of pancreatic beta-cell function over time that underlies the chronic progressive nature of this condition. Importantly, beta-cell dysfunction has both reversible and irreversible components. Furthermore, the amelioration of reversible beta-cell dysfunction through the early institution of short-term insulin-based therapy has emerged as a strategy that can yield temporary remission of type 2 diabetes. In this context, we have forwarded a novel therapeutic paradigm consisting of initial induction therapy to improve beta-cell function early in the course of diabetes followed by maintenance therapy aimed at preserving this beneficial beta-cell effect. Ultimately, this approach may yield an optimized therapeutic strategy for the durable preservation of beta-cell function and consequent modification of the natural history of type 2 diabetes.